Library And Information Science Students Research Articles

Protecting More Than Just Books: A Curricula Study of Traditional Cultural Expression in U.S. LIS Programs

More and more, librarians’ day-to-day job responsibilities include working with Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) and their divergent needs. Nevertheless, TCEs—and their specialized care—lack adequate attention and appropriate training in Library and Information Science (LIS) pedagogy. This indicates that LIS students may be less prepared to ethically work on TCE-related inquiries in the future. This study conducts a curricula content analysis of 35 ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MSLIS) programs to preliminarily assess the current state of TCE-related topics represented in LIS programs. Through investigating course descriptions, the research evaluates the depth and breadth to which LIS students’ coursework incorporates topics related to TCEs and their care. The synthesized findings demonstrate that only a small number of LIS programs even offer TCE-centric courses; of these, very few programs explicitly require students to take them. Failure to integrate TCEs into the core curriculum results in students being unprepared for the corresponding challenges in their prospective workplaces, especially as most TCEs are not covered by copyright law. The implication of this study could be a fruitful and rigorous invitation for LIS educators to revise their LIS curriculum to keep pace with the ever-evolving information needs that arise in contemporary library contexts for diverse populations.

Recruitment Techniques for LIS Internship Applicants of Color: Case Study of a Paid Medical Data Internship Program

Background: The recruitment of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has been an ongoing effort for specialized libraries and library programs, especially as they try to fill technical roles while combatting internalized biases and candidates’ potential self-deselection by not applying or otherwise removing themselves from the recruitment process. Introduction: This case study examines the recruitment efforts of the National Center for Data Services (NCDS) for a paid internship program for BIPOC graduate students interested in data librarianship in health sciences settings. Methods: To enhance recruitment efforts and support applicants, NCDS met with consultants on equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The recruitment process included reaching out directly to graduate programs, hiring an independent application coach who was available to consult with anyone interested in applying, holding informational sessions about the internship opportunity, and limiting the required components of the application, which included removing the need for letters of recommendation or support. Results: Although the target group was a very small pool of Library and Information Science (LIS) BIPOC students interested in medical and data librarianship, we received applications from all United States (U.S.) racial groups, except Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. The recruitment efforts led to 38 applications for 8 positions in 2022 and 59 applications for 12 positions in 2023. Conclusions: The resultant number of applications showed an interest and need for specialty programs for BIPOC LIS students and highlighted how recruitment methods impact participation in specialized programs. Further research is necessary to assess the impact of various recruitment styles for this target group and the impact of these recruitment methods.

Use of social media by LIS students in Kuwait and Taiwan: A comparative analysis

Over the years, social media (SM) has gained much credibility among students, and educational institutions are leveraging it in their systems. From the educational standpoint, SM influences students to learn course information, contact peers and develop new skills. The study aims to identify the students’ use of SM to access information related to the Library and Information Science (LIS) programmes in Kuwait and Taiwan, including time spent, tools used, reasons and patterns of use, and to indicate the challenges faced in providing means of LIS learning and collaboration. In total, 288 valid questionnaires were received from students in both countries. Descriptive analysis from the respondents revealed data on the participants’ demography. The thematic analysis showed the results of the SM platforms’ usage, hours spent, and messaging frequency. The ordinal scale provided further data on SM use in LIS education. Results from those who responded show frequent use, high GPAs, and social and entertainment purposes. Both countries respondents show similar usage and attitudes towards SM in LIS education, exchanging collaborative learning and integrating creativity and innovation. Taiwan respondents have a higher female student population, while Kuwait has a balanced gender distribution. Taiwanese students spend less time on social media (SM) daily for LIS information and prefer different platforms. Kuwaiti student respondents dedicate more time to SM and positively perceive its potential to improve grades.

Use and Acceptance of Open Educational Resources in Library and Information Science Departments in South African Higher Education Institutions

Technology advancement has caused various changes in education, a phenomenon which demands academics to keep up with these changes. Covid-19 caused multiple educational challenges, as online teaching had to be adopted and implemented quickly. The scarcity of online teaching and learning resources has been one of the major problems in South African education. The establishment of open educational resources (OERs) came with some solutions during the trying times of the pandemic, where direct contact with other people was significantly reduced. OERs are educational materials in the public domain introduced with an open licence, such as digital textbooks, research papers, lecture notes, assignments, tests, projects, audios, videos, and animations. It emerged in this study that library and information science (LIS) departments have some awareness of OER. LIS staff employ OERs in their work. However, LIS students rarely utilise them in their studies. It was discovered that LIS departments experience challenges regarding the awareness of copyright, technological problems, quality assurance, and a lack of understanding OER. It can be concluded, based on the findings, that LIS departments were not fully prepared for the changes (moving to online learning) implemented in response to the pandemic. Thus, the study recommends that there should be improved OER awareness, academic staff training, workshops, adequate ICT infrastructure, and improvement of technical skills to increase the utilisation of these resources in LIS departments. This paper depicts an overview of OER and the involvement and opportunity it holds for library and LIS professionals.

“I didn't know it would be like this”: Professional Preparation for Social-Service Information Work in Public Libraries

Recent semi-structured interviews with 28 librarians and branch managers on the placement of social workers in public libraries revealed a need for library and information science (LIS) programs to better prepare students for their role as social service information providers and to provide models for working with and supervising social workers in the library. It is clear that libraries are experiencing increasing demands to respond to the social-service information needs that users bring to the library, and the importance of libraries to communities in times of uncertainty and crisis is clear. In response, some libraries are including social workers on staff, but this trend does not completely relieve librarians of the need to serve the public's social-service information needs. LIS students need to understand the professional boundaries of librarianship and social work and to develop the ability to feel confident in their interactions with users who have been traumatized, are in crisis, or are struggling with challenges such as the need for credible health information; home and food insecurity information; legal aid; access to the Internet for individuals and families from low-income situations; accessible adult education programs; and more. Interview participants offered a number of suggestions for how to incorporate social work concepts into LIS education and asked for several specific skills such as training in mental-health first aid, de-escalation techniques, and greater knowledge of social-service resources.

Technically prepared: Librarians' perceptions on LIS curricula and technical services workforce preparedness

Academic libraries frequently require that professional librarians obtain a master's degree from a Library and Information Science (LIS) program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) as a condition of employment. Within these programs, “academic libraries” are a common area of concentrated study available to LIS students interested in targeting a particular path for their future careers. As ALA identifies the master's degree as the terminal degree for all types of librarians, this coursework represents the majority of education and training librarians receive prior to entering the workforce. Though duties and responsibilities vary widely between individual institutions, librarians working in technical services roles are generally responsible for a broad range of activities related to the acquisition, discovery, and preservation of library materials. This study examines the results of a survey measuring the perceptions of current technical services librarians working in academic libraries on their LIS curricula in order to identify the coursework and skills most valuable to them in their work. The survey also identifies areas in which technical services librarians report having greater reliance on continuing education and professional development opportunities to supplement their knowledge in order to remain current in their areas of expertise.

Redesigning Tertiary Educational Evaluation with AI: A Task-Based Analysis of LIS Students’ Assessment on Written Tests and Utilizing ChatGPT at NSTU

ABSTRACT The AI tool ChatGPT has shaken the academic system and challenges conventional teaching-learning methods. Using a mixed method approach, the author adopted a task-based analysis to measure the Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ academic performance and integrity during the Artificial Intelligence, especially the ChatGPT trend. A group of 32 LIS final-year students were purposively selected as they completed all the basic courses of their discipline. A one-day session was divided into two phases – a written exam and an assignment through ChatGPT – held at the Institute of Information Sciences (IIS), Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU). Both examinations were administered using a questionnaire including a series of 15 tasks. A faculty member of IIS was tasked with reviewing the gathered answer scripts voluntarily. Results showed that it is too difficult to rank students’ positions based on ChatGPT-generated tasks, as the participant who placed in 20th position (scored 5 out of 30) among 32 in the written examination, placed in 2nd position (scored 25) in ChatGPT-generated assignment. It is encouraging that the similarity indices (by Turnitin) reached up to 89%, which is unacceptable under university regulations. However, none of these assignments included in-text citations and references, which is questionable from the standpoint of academic ethics.

Professor’s and student’s perspectives on digital education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: Online teaching, adaptation of courses and OER

Open educational resources (OER) and digital education (DE) have shown the ability to improve teaching and learning possibilities, particularly in light of unpredictably occurring events. Especially the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that universities were experiencing technological, socio-psychological, and didactic issues. In order to promote, enrich, and improve DE and OER for crises and beyond, this research article addresses specifically the target audiences of students and teachers in Library and Information Science (LIS) programs in Germany. A qualitative approach with interviews and focus groups was applied to identify, analyze and compare students’ and professors’ attitudes, experiences and problems in remote teaching and learning during a crisis. The results showed that LIS professors from our sample are experienced and innovative regarding the use of DE during a period of crisis. However, diverse obstacles for the use and production of OER for online education become visible. Students’ first difficulties with online learning could be resolved and show how quickly they were able to adjust to the new teaching environment. Both LIS professors and students recognize the advantages of employing DE and OER in higher education. They emphasize positive learning experiences based on flexibility when integrating DE and OER in LIS programs.

“To connect, you have to listen”

Library and information science (LIS) scholarship has increasingly become aware of disconnects between the traditional curriculum and real-world soft skills employers value in future public library professionals, particularly in regards to being able to engage with underserved communities. To address this gap, MLIS students at two iSchools participated in a field-based social justice assignment that required them to identify an underserved community group they wanted to learn more about, and then collaborate with and interview a member of the group or a community organization that was working with the group. Students completed a written reflection about the experience that the researchers analyzed to understand how a field-based social justice assignment can foster soft skill development for LIS students. Findings indicate that the field-based assignment supported students’ development of three soft skills important for both LIS careers and social justice work: cultural competency, communication, and reflexivity.

Teaching social work concepts to LIS students

While there has been tremendous growth in the number of partnerships between social work and public libraries in the last fifteen years, an educational gap exists in teaching students about social work concepts within library and information science (LIS) graduate curricula. Recent scholarship does speak to the importance of integrating social work skills and knowledge into LIS coursework, yet little has been written about what this instruction looks like in practice. This thought piece demonstrates an originality of ideas by describing the content, structure, and goals of a cross-disciplinary graduate course entitled Library Social Work. In doing so, the author aims to illustrate the significance of incorporating concepts and themes into LIS curricula to better prepare students for the field of public librarianship and ultimately to benefit library patrons and librarians themselves.

An Evaluation of Digital Information Literacy Skills among Undergraduate Students of Library and Information Science in Universities in Nigeria

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the digital information literacy skills among Library and Information Science (LIS) students in universities in Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research method, and a questionnaire was used to collect data from 279 final-year undergraduate students of Library and Information Science departments in six federal universities offering LIS in Nigeria. The study found that the final-year students of Library and Information Science trust their information search proficiency on the internet. The LIS students are aware of some information resources and not aware of others such as electronic theses and dissertations, e-reference books and e-books. The study revealed that the students frequently used online information resources such as online newspapers, online journal articles, online databases, and internet information. The majority of the students indicated that they do not trust and use information they find on the internet for their academic assignments. To search for information for academic assignments, the students try to use different subject terms on Boolean operators. The study discovered that students preferred digital sources of information, but still used the library to retrieve needed information. It also emerged that the students evaluate information resources by checking for currency, and the author’s name and expertise. The findings of the study may be critical for designing information systems that fit the information needs of students and support information management in developing countries. This could help educators in universities improve the learning experiences of their students and improve their competitiveness in the job market. Digital information literacy skills must become an integral part of higher education curricula in developing countries. Therefore, the study recommends that all students in universities need to take courses on digital information literacy irrespective of their field of study.

Misinformation, Disinformation and Malinformation and Related Issues: Experimental Evidence of LIS Students’ Recognition and Capacity of Dealing

ABSTRACT Social media platforms are fertile ground for spreading problematic information. This paper explored Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of problematic information, i.e. misinformation, disinformation, malinformation, fake news, rumor, etc. associated with their ability to categorize these. This paper showed the relation between what students think they know and what they actually know in regard to recognizing mis-dis-mal-information. A survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire among LIS students of all public universities in Bangladesh, and 426 usable responses get backed. For analyzing the data, SPSS was used to carry out the descriptive analysis, Pearson Correlation, and Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient. The result showed that students were connected with social media platforms on a daily basis, most preferably with Facebook and YouTube. In terms of sharing or commenting on a post that was not completely accurate, almost half of the respondents are habituated with the aim of doing so. Although the basic familiarity rated by students themselves with the problematic information is nearly satisfactory, the capacity to recognize this information whenever it occurred in hands-on tasks was very low. There is a positive correlation among gender, study level, and frequency of using Internet and social media with familiarity with misinformation, disinformation, fake news, rumor, and malinformation.

Exploring the use of mobile technologies for learning: an empirical study of library and information science (LIS) students

PurposeThe use of mobile technologies and learning devices has been increasing in every field of life, and library and information sciences are no exception. This study aims to explore the perceptions of library and information science (LIS) students regarding mobile learning (m-learning) along with their primary purposes, social media applications, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impact and overall satisfaction with using these devices.Design/methodology/approachA survey method was used, and data was collected from the students of 12 library schools in Pakistan for a total sample of 250 students.FindingsTheir main purposes of usage, their needs, advantages, disadvantages, barriers, impacts and the level of overall satisfaction were also identified. The inferential statistics (t-test and ANOVA) also identified the difference of opinion on the basis of gender, programs, types and number of m-learning devices. Overall, the findings highlight the need for academic libraries to give mobile access (launching mobile applications) to better use library services. To ensure this, libraries must keep an eye on new advances in mobile technology, researchers’ needs and related electronic library services and observe how these services are being used.Practical implicationsTheoretical and practical implications have been highlighted to understand the perceptions of LIS students about m-learning devices.Originality/valueThe mobile library service providers and management need to improve their services by offering services that fit the diverse needs of their users and should know how to attract modern library users.

Emergence, evolution, challenges and future prospect in LIS education and its impact on job opportunity of LIS education in Pakistan

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the status of library and information science (LIS) education in Pakistan, as well as LIS progress, level of employment and issues, infrastructure and facilities, challenges faced by LIS institutions and future prospects of the profession.Design/methodology/approachA total of 115 permanent/regular and visiting academic members from different Pakistani institutions/universities participated in the research. A mixed-method was used, and data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. The data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.FindingsThis study’s results showed that assistant, associate and associate professors have been very involved in producing high-quality research articles and producing quality graduates. This study also found that there are several problems with LIS education in Pakistan, such as a lack of qualified teachers, resources and facilities. This study provides all the answers to these problems. They are useful for LIS teachers and students in Pakistan because LIS education has been around for a long time, but there are still some problems that need to be fixed. The results could have an immediate effect on the direction, ability to survive and future of LIS education in Pakistan.Originality/valuePreviously, different studies have been conducted on evolution and challenges to the LIS profession, but to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has been reported based on the professional experiences in other Universities of Pakistan. According to the research, the findings are crucial for LIS professors and students in Pakistan. In addition, the research investigates the challenges faced by LIS teachers in Pakistan. It concludes with suggestions on how to address some of these problems. It is also said that Pakistan must develop universal standards for LIS to close the gap between what users want and what library workers can do.

Teaching and Learning Online During Covid-19 Lockdown, Encouraging and Discouraging?

The study examined the teaching and learning online during the covid-19 lockdown, in terms of whether it is encouraging or discouraging from the perspectives of students and staff of the Library and Information Science Department in Nigerian universities. Three Library and Information Science(LIS) schools were selected from three different universities. The population was the LIS lecturers and students. FIVE students and FIVE lecturers were selected from each of the three Library schools. This gave a total of 15 students and 15 lecturers which amounts to a total of 30 respondents who represent the sample for the study. A pure qualitative method was adopted using focus group interviews which were conducted for the students and the staff in each of the schools as a method of data collection. The findings show that the experience of lecturers and students in learning and teaching online during the Covid-19 lockdown was encouraging, the lesson is very easy to prepare and interesting and the learners are enthusiastic and wanted others to know they were part of the class. The respondents want learning and teaching online to continue due to its flexibility, interesting nature of teaching online, and a high percentage of participation. The benefits of teaching and learning online during Covid-19 include flexibility, ease of learning and teaching, increased interactivity and class participation, social presence, improvement in critical thinking skills, and high engagement of lecturers and students. The challenges of learning and teaching LIS during Covid-19 are slow bandwidth, poor network, cost of data (lecturers and students bear the cost of data), and unstable electricity, high withdrawal rate, inadequate skills for both lecturers and students due to their first experience, high cost of data and electronic devices among others.

Revisiting Instructional Approaches in Response to Emerging Cataloging Standards

The ever-shifting landscape of cataloging standards over the last decade has kept library and information science (LIS) educators on their toes, and continuing developments only promise to maintain this trend. Examples include the publication of the International Federation of Library Association & Institution’s (IFLA’s) conceptual model Library Reference Model (LRM) in 2017, the release of the new and heavily revised version of the cataloging content standard Resource Description and Access (RDA) in 2020, and Library of Congress’ upcoming Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) standard for encoding and publishing library data. These new standards have altered the way in which cataloging work is conceived and discussed, radically changed the interfaces used for accessing cataloging documentation, and are now spurring the creation of new software and tools for cataloging work, including Library of Congress’ new Marva metadata editor. At the same time, the increasing inclusion of linked data projects in libraries, archives, and other cultural heritage institutions are requiring new skills, practices, and workflows that cataloging and metadata librarians must be prepared for. With many of these standards and initiatives not fully implemented in the majority of libraries, cataloging educators face a dilemma in deciding how best to prepare their students to successfully navigate this time of change, where old and new standards and practices intersect.
 The Technical Services Education SIG session will include a panel of three educators (two of whom are current cataloging practitioners) with unique perspectives on strategies for teaching toward emerging cataloging standards. After brief presentations by each of the panelists, audience members will be encouraged to ask questions and offer their own experiences and ideas concerning this area of LIS education.
 This conversation aligns well with the ALISE conference theme of “Go Back and Get It: From One Narrative to Many” as cataloging practice and education must be in constant dialogue about the preparation of LIS students for the lifespan of their careers. How can LIS educators prepare students for an environment in which different institutions are facing drastically different plans and timelines for the implementation of new standards? How can teaching practices be adjusted to best leverage current best practices alongside new strategies? And how can study of past, present, and emerging cataloging standards and practices provide a solid foundation on which LIS students can build throughout their careers? This panel will offer opportunities for LIS educators to reach back to knowledge and experiences concerning previous standards transitions, share best practices for addressing the current, dynamic environment, and look toward the future of cataloging and metadata education and preparation.

Social Justice Storytelling: A Pedagogical Imperative

Librarians and information professionals need to be reflective practitioners who can analyze, understand, and communicate in culturally competent ways about social justice. This study analyzes the output of student responses to the assignment to record a video social justice story in four graduate library and information science (LIS) courses. Qualitative analysis reveals patterns of “calling out injustice” and “calling in the audience” that reflect students’ social justice storytelling and that demonstrate abilities to engage and provoke audiences. The findings show that social justice topics in LIS are amenable to a variety of narrative strategies. Future LIS research should look more deeply at what students learn through assignments like these and how this pedagogy should affect ongoing social justice storytelling by library professionals. Teaching LIS students to be social justice storytellers is an important way of continuing to push the field to “walk the talk” of diversity and inclusion.

Meeting Them Where They Are: Online LIS Students and Mental Health Supports

Within a number of fields, research on mental health support available for graduate students is scant. Research on mental health support among online students is even more limited. Mental health within library and information science (LIS) has been discussed largely outside of the scholarly realm via webinars, mental health zines, and Twitter chats. As the majority of students pursuing a master’s degree in LIS (MLIS) go through online programs, student awareness of and access to mental health support through their university is unknown. Through content analysis, this original study explores the online resources for mental health counseling and support readily available for MLIS students in American Library Association–accredited programs.

التعرُّف على مستوى الوعي المعلوماتي لدى طلبة علوم المكتبات والمعلومات في كليّة التربية الأساسية في دولة الكويت

ملخص هدف الدراسة: التعرُّف على مستوى الوعي المعلوماتي لدى طلبة علوم المكتبات والمعلومات في كليّة التربية الأساسية في دولة الكويت، والكشف عن الصعوبات التي تواجه الطلبة أثناء عملية البحث عن المعلومات والحصول عليها، وأبرز المقترحات للتغلب على هذه الصعوبات. المنهج: اعتمدت الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي المسحي، حيث طُوّرت استبانة تكوَّنت من (29) فقرة، وسؤال واحد مفتوح الإجابة، وتكَوَّن مجتمع الدراسة من جميع طلبة علوم المكتبات والمعلومات في كليّة التربية الأساسية في الكويت، والبالغ عددهم 1204 طالبة و587 طالباً. اعتمدت الدراسة طريقة العَيِّنات لجمع البيانات، حيث تمّ توزيع الاستبانة عن طريق البريد الإلكتروني الخاصّ بالهيئة العامة للتعليم التطبيقي والتدريب، وبعد أسبوعين من توزيع الاستبانة استجاب 350 طالباً وطالبة، وقد اعْتُبِرُوا عَيِّنَة للدراسة. النتائج: بيَّنَت النتائج أنّ الدرجة الكليّة لمستوى الوعي المعلوماتي لدى طلبة علوم المكتبات والمعلومات كانت مرتفعة، إذ حاز مجال مهارات الوعي المعلوماتي على درجة تقدير مرتفعة، وحاز مجال طرق البحث عن المعلومات على درجة تقدير متوسطة، وأنّ مستوى تقدير الطلبة نحو الصعوبات التي تواجهُهم أثناء عملية البحث عن المعلومات والحصول عليها جاءت بدرجة تقدير متوسطة. وبيَّنَت النتائج كذلك أنّ أبرز مقترحات الطلبة للتغلُّب على الصعوبات التي تواجههم عند الحصول على المعلومات هي: تزويد العاملين في المكتبة بمهارات تواصل أفضل، والعمل على إضافة أجهزة حواسيب متعددة في المكتبة، وتنظيم دورات إرشادية للمساعدة على استخدام المكتبة ومصادرها. وبناءً على نتائج الدراسة تمّ تقديم مجموعة من التوصيات والمقترحات. This study aimed to identify the Information Literacy (IL) level among Library and Information Science (LIS) students at the College of Basic Education (CBE), Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET), Kuwait. The study revealed the difficulties faced by students during searching and obtaining information. The survey method was employed to collect descriptive data to answer the study’s questions. The formed questionnaire included 29 paragraphs and one open ended question. The study population consisted of all LIS students: 587 males and 1,204 females. A sample method for data collection was used, whereby the questionnaire was distributed by e-mail. Only 350 male and female students responded and formed the research sample. The results showed that the overall level of IL among LIS students was high, as the students’ IL skills were also high, and the information search techniques were rated moderately. Results also revealed that the difficulties faced in searching and obtaining information was moderate. Furthermore, the results presented students with prominent suggestions to overcome the difficulties faced when accessing information—for example, providing library staff with better communication skills, equipping the library with computers, and organising library orientation courses to help utilise the library and its sources

LIS Education in India and Employability of Students: Issues and Challenges

The paper examines the growth and development of Library and Information Science (LIS) education in India in terms of the number of LIS schools and the proliferation of LIS courses across the country. It examines the problems, lacunae and quality control issues in the present LIS education system, which has led to rising unemployment or under-employment. The paper discusses the ‘employability’ of LIS students against a highly competitive job market impacted by the developments in information and communication technologies. A few corrective measures have been suggested to improve the quality and standard of LIS education in the present digital information world.